What's Left Unsaid
by Facescar
Summary: ... can sometimes hurt the most. Ash and Dawn are finally going their separate ways, but what happens next? Pearlshipping  AshXDawn . Please R&R!
1. Brock's Goodbye

**Hey everyone! Facescar here with a new FanFic for you guys! This will probably be a 5-7 chapter story while I gear up for something… else ;) **

**-9/24 EDIT- ****Hey guys, because you guys have been so awesome about this story, I've decided to make this a MUCH longer story than what I originally planned. I'm not going to spill the beans on _exactly_ how long, but I'm hoping you guys enjoy the change! I'm also editing this chapter to get rid of some really annoying typos, so enjoy! ****-END EDIT-**

**A quick thanks to Syugecin for "encouraging" me to write this.**

**Any time Pikachu speaks in this chapter, I'll be trying to use his recognized names for people (if it exists). I'll mention the names the first time I use them, but each time after that, it'll be left un-noted.**

**No, despite the totally prevalent accusations to the contrary, I do not own Pokemon. (And Nintendo has said they love it when we use their stuff in stories, so let us be!)**

**Anyways, let's get on with the show!**

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**-Chapter 1: Brock's Goodbye-**

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Our three young travelers stand at the Sandgem Town docks, watching as the sun begins to set over the surrounding forest. The oldest among them stands closer to the dock with his large backpack resting on the ground next to him. Behind him sits a large, impatient ferry, with smoke pouring out as its engines begin ramping up.

"So... this is it guys," the tall man said, a sad smile on his face.

Brock was leaving his traveling companions for good. The former gym-leader had decided, after traveling the world for years, that it was finally time for him to set aside his traveling pack and settle down. He'd recently received an offer from the Pokemon Center in Pewter City, his hometown, and had taken the job immediately. He was to become the facility's resident breeder, taking care of the pokemon on longer-term stays. It was his dream job, something he'd been working towards even during his Kanto travels with Ash and Misty.

"Yeah. It's hard to believe this day's finally come. It's been fun traveling with you Brock-o." Ash, one of his companions, joked, despite the similarly sad expression on his face. The two had traveled now through four different regions, and despite the many goodbyes they had shared, this would be their final one.

The boat's whistle rang out one more time, signaling that it was ready to leave. Ash could feel tears welling up in his eyes as Brock lifted his bag onto his shoulder. Seeing this, Brock decided he wasn't done yet "By the way, Ash?"

"Yeah Brock?" Ash looked up, trying to will the tears and emotion out of his eyes.

"I've got something for you, a goodbye gift," The breeder said, hading Ash a small slip of paper. "Don't open it yet, Brock said, somewhat urgently, glancing quickly over towards Dawn. "You should read it later, ok?"

"Sure, thanks Brock," the trainer responded with a small smile, pocketing the small piece of paper while wondering what was inside.

"And Dawn? I've got something for you too," he continued with a smile, "it's a recipe for the food I usually make. You'll need it now that I'll be gone."

"Thanks Brock!" The young coordinator replied, reading the large instruction sheet before placing it in her bag.

Brock waved goodbye one last time and ran onboard, yelling, "Ash, Dawn, take care of yourselves now!" as he disappeared from view.

The two stayed nearly rooted in place until the boat finally turned the corner disappeared. For Dawn, who had only traveled with Brock during her Sinnoh journey, the goodbye was not quite as devastating as it was for Ash, but it was still saddening. He was one of only two people she had ever traveled with on her short pokemon adventure, and now he was gone. Even worse, Ash might soon be leaving too. With this thought rattling in her head, she spoke softly to her lone companion, "Hey Ash, we should get going now. We need to make it to Twinleaf before night fall."

Ash, who was still staring out towards the orange-tinted sea, turned to her quickly and nodded a bit in confirmation.

They slowly started off down Route 201, with Pikachu walking along behind them, ears pinned back. It quietly muttered "Pika-Chu" (his name for Brock), remembering all his travels with the expert poke-chef.

* * *

As the sun began to disappear over the horizon to their right, Ash and Dawn finally crested the final hill. As they stood, weary and saddened by the day's events, over Twinleaf Town, they could see its nightscape coming alive. Lights flicked on in many houses and in the main stores. Above them, the darkening sky quickly passed from orange to deep red and a deep purple color.

As the sky finally settled into a deep shade of black, they made their way onto the main street with streetlamps began lighting up all around them.

Dawn had been silent during much of the journey, which was worrying Ash. As they passed the stadium where the Twinleaf Festival was held, he turned to her and asked, "Dawn, are you ok? You've been quiet ever since we left Sandgem."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered quickly, a bit surprised by the sudden question, "I've just… I've just been thinking, that's all."

"Is it that you miss Brock too?" The question made Dawn fall over, anime style. As Ash reached down to pick her up, she answered.

"No, it's not that at all," Ash looked at her with a confused expression on his face, but she responded with a more serious expression as she stopped walking. She stopped for a second to build up her courage before asking, "Ash… are you leaving too?"

Ash, finally getting it, got a sober expression on his face. He answered, quickly turning away, "Yeah, my ferry is going to leave in a few days."

"Oh." Dawn started off again down the road, hiding her face too. Ash, looking up and realizing that she'd left, ran after her, calling out her name. She slowed down again, letting Ash catch up, but she continued to look away.

"Dawn, are you ok?" Ash asked, concern clear in his voice, while Pikachu added, "Pikaka?" (his name for Dawn). Both Ash and Pikachu looked at her intently as she struggled for words.

She responded, still looking down at the road. "It's… it's nothing. No need to worry, right?" she said, turning to face Ash with a fake smile.

"Oh, sure. I guess so." Ash answered, not entirely convinced by her smile.

Dawn turned back to face the ground as they turned off onto her house's porch. They climbed the few steps out front and Dawn knocked on the door.

"Dawn! Ash! It's so nice to see you!" Johanna called out as she answered the door, happy to see the two. "Please! Come in!"

**-END CHAPTER ONE-**

**A/N-**

**So, that was chapter one of my new FanFic. Please leave a review to help me improve and maybe leave some plot ideas! Thanks for reading!**

**It may seem a bit dull (especially towards the end), but there's no need to worry! This story will be ramping up significantly in the next chapter, since this was just the set-up one. Please stay tuned! :)**


	2. The Broken Night

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for checking out Chapter 2 of ****What's Left Unsaid****! Chapter 1 just recently got 225 views, so thanks to everyone who checked it out! Please remember to review, so that I can keep improving for next time!**

**I'd first like to mention that I'm now dedicating this story to the late XX-ThEwOrLdNeEdSaChAnGe-XX (AKA Alice), a great and promising writer who was senselessly killed by a drunk driver about a week ago. May this story be good enough to honor her memory.**

**On a happier note, I'd like to thank Betamax16 for some great ideas I decided to use in this story. He was a great help :)**

**Finally: ****This was supposed to be a longer chapter, but it's been taking so long I decided to give you guys something while you wait for the rest of chapter 2. Soooo, this will be chapter two, and everything else will be moved back a chapter.**

**Anyways, on with the show!**

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A waning crescent moon rises slowly over the smooth horizon, providing a weak nightlight to the resting world below. For one young coordinator, however, the light was just strong enough to distract her from sleep, as the small streams of light barely poke their way through the thin drapes she had pulled over her bedroom window. Distracted by the weak light, Dawn shifts uncomfortably desperate for the sweet relief of sleep. On the nearby floor is Ash, sleeping comfortably despite the weak luminescence. Piplup sleeps on the windowsill, sleeping soundly with a large bubble forming on his beak.

Dawn, giving up temporarily on sleep, heard weak snores coming from Ash and his Pikachu and turned to face them. Her mom had panicked when Dawn had asked if Ash could sleep in her room:

*FLASHBACK*

The house has fallen silent for the night, with much of the house shrouded in darkness. On the lower floor, one light shines, highlighting a middle-aged woman with blue hair, who is taking care of her prized Pokémon.

Dawn makes her way from the base of the stairs towards the relatively gentle spotlight. The two meet at the kitchen table with a tired but welcoming hug. Around them, the rest of the house settles into an eerily silence, with the exception of the distant sound of a running shower.

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"You want him to what?" Johanna blurted out, breaking character slightly at the sudden question.

"Mom!..." Dawn moaned, hoping that Ash wouldn't hear the sudden outburst. "Please? He's leaving soon, and it's not like there's anything wrong with him sleeping on the floor."

Johanna paused for a few moments, thinking it over, before finally giving in, "Alright honey, just make sure he stays on the floor."

Dawn scoffed slightly at her mother's odd obsession replying, "No need to worry mom!"

"That's when I –"

But Dawn was already halfway up the stairs, humming happily to herself.

*END FLASHBACK*

Waking quickly from her memories, Dawn took in her surroundings once again. Her thoughts turned to the duo sleeping just a few feet away. Their conversation from the day before rang hollowly through her mind:

"_Ash… are __you__ leaving too?"_

"_Yeah, my ferry is going to leave in a few days"_

"_Oh…"_

She stirred to find sadness welling up uncontrollably inside of herself. She was surprised by the strength of her emotions, uncertain as to why she was reacting so strongly to Ash's imminent departure. To be sure, she was better friends with Ash than she was with Brock, but the scale of the difference was off-putting. Tears began welling up in her sleep-deprived eyes, and she began to cry quietly. It was then that she realized why she was so upset. Her best friend, her companion, her "nice partner" **(A/N: A lyric from "High Touch")** was soon going to leave her. Her sobs quickly grew louder, eventually stirring another being in the room.

Distracted by her lack of control over her feelings, she didn't notice the dull rustling sounds, nor the slow, soft thuds that grew closer with each passing second. She did, however, feel the bed suddenly shift beneath her, making her almost fall over towards a new, sleepy form.

Looking up from her displaced position, she saw a tired but concerned pair of thin, brown eyes looking back, each resting over a small z-shaped mark. "Ash…" Dawn wanted to stop crying, trying not to look so weak in front of her friend, but her resulting failed efforts only made her sound even more distraught. Giving up, Dawn leaned over, wrapped Ash in a weak hug, and rested her head on Ash's shoulder.

At first, Ash seemed frozen by a combination of shock and fatigue. Dawn felt him tighten up under her embrace, but he slowly began to react. So slowly he seemed almost hesitant, Ash returned Dawn's embrace, wrapping his arms delicately around her shoulders. Soon after, he began stroking her hair. Dawn was happily surprised by Ash's response, enjoying their embrace, despite the tears that continued to trickle down her cheek. She rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the vague warmth of his hold.

"Hey, Dawn?"

Dawn tried to respond, but she found herself unable to speak though the tears. Instead, she shakily nodded into his shoulder, trying to communicate without words.

"Are you ok? What's bothering you?" Dawn almost choked, and her cries momentarily stopped. Was he really this dumb, even as he acted so sensitive? She almost wanted to let go from sheer disappointment. Still, but she was so comfortable in his soft grip and so happy to be so close to her friend. Instead she shifted slightly and whispered back into his shoulder, "Nothing now."

She quickly flashed a smile and said, slightly louder, "No need to worry." She sniffled slightly, finally bringing her breakdown to a close.

Ash quickly loosened his grip, but it took Dawn a few seconds to respond by letting go herself, her cheeks still wet enough to glisten slightly in the weak moonlight. She slid silently back across the bed as Ash stood up and walked back to his bag. Ash quickly fell back to sleep, but Dawn stared restlessly at the window for a few minutes before she finally joined him in dreamland.

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**Sorry for this shorter chapter, the next two should be longer (once school gets out of the way enough for me to write them)**


	3. Dawn in Twinleaf Town!

**A/N: Hey everyone! This story just got over 700 views total, so I want to start by thanking you all for checking this story out :). Please let me know what I can do to improve, ideas you have for the next chapter, etc. After all, my writing style is still a work in progress.**

**I'd like to thank Syugecin again for… her special brand of motivation. I think I've mentioned it before, but it does help me to write the chapters quicker.**

**Also: School WILL slow the progress of this story, but I'm enjoying writing it, so expect more updates whenever I can find time to write!**

**One more note, I decided to have it like this ****before**** the awesome DP 191 preview came out. And now, on the day of DP 191's release and the end of Diamond and Pearl, I bring you what might constitute DP 191 part one in this story's plot-line.**

**Annnyways, on with the show!**

**- Chapter 3: Dawn in Twinleaf Town! –**

A softly blazing sun slowly peaks its crown over the distant Mt. Coronet, piercing the landscape with rapidly brightening rays of light. Across the vast Sinnoh forest, the tops of trees struggle to grab the early, near-horizontal rays of light. For one tree, however, the fierce competition is no problem, as it towers above its surroundings. With its unusual height, the tree easily swallows bright, unspoiled light with its upper branches.

Near the top of the tall, thin tree sits two nests. In each, recently hatched Pidgey are preparing for their first solo flights under the watchful eyes of their mothers. As the two hatchlings stretch their wings to take practice flaps, they also glance shallowly yet curiously at the vast world around them. For the entirety of their short existence, they had lived, eaten, and slept in these crude bowls of straw. But now, their all-important homes were just clumps of uncushioned sticks, and it was the world around them that could become their new abode.

For one of the two hatchlings, this was a challenge he felt ready to face. Today would be the day he would finally fly on his own past the border of straw. For days now, he had been practicing on short drops, carefully testing and strengthening his fresh wings.

For the other, this was not as much of a joyous occasion. She had been born slightly later than her counterpart, and was not nearly as confident in her ability to fly alone. As she and her companion fledgling grew up, she would often watch in awe at the rapid progress and developing power of her partner. Knowing that she could not take flight on this all-important day, she realized that today would be their last day together.

As the sun continued to rise, and as the shadows of the wooden slope slid into oblivion, one young bird hopped to the edge. It was time.

As the unable bird watched on in sadness, her former companion flew off, exploring the world beyond without her.

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A rising trainer stretches silently in place, staring absentmindedly at a common yet unfamiliar ceiling. He had been awake for a few minutes now, but his sleeping bag was so comfortable that he was unwilling to get up.

"Pikapi.[1]"

He thought back to the day before; how Brock had left and Dawn had gotten so silent on their walk back from Sandgem Town.

"Pikapi…"

"_I should probably get up."_ He thought to himself. Despite how comfortable he felt, he knew he'd have to get up eventually. After all, the sun was already getting pretty high, and he could already hear a Pidgey's distant cry. Regardless, he couldn't deny that his warm cushion was far more comfortable than the cold morning air surrounding his insulated sack.

"Chuuuuuuu Pi-ka![2]" A sharp white flash slapped Ash hard on the nose.

"OW! Pikachu! What was that for?" Pikachu bounced back a bit, just out of Ash's flailing grasp. Once he was sure he had Ash's attention, he spread his mouth wide and poked at it with his chubby arm. "Oh, so you're hungry, huh?"

"Pika-chu?" He said questioningly.

Ash sighed faintly before answering, "No, Brock's gone now, remember?"

Pikachu's ears drooped slowly, but soon shot up again.

"Pikaka?"

Ash shook his head with a laugh. "Dawn's not even up yet!" Hearing Pikachu's stomach growl loudly, however, Ash spoke up again with a defeated smile. "All right! All right! I'll get you something myself." Pikachu immediately bounded towards the door, and Ash finally pulled himself awake. As he left the room, he closed the door slightly harder than he'd meant to.

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_**Thud**_

A budding young coordinator woke quickly in a large, dark room, stretching with a slight groan. Rising groggily out of bed, Dawn felt around her head, recognizing with a small start that her hair was still perfectly maintained. Simultaneously, she also remembered where she was, and her eyes shot open. She quickly scrambled to the edge of her bed and scanned the floor for Ash, but only found his empty sleeping bag.

"_He must have gotten up early… that's odd."_

Turning away from the jumbled yet precious pile of cloth on the floor, Dawn noticed small, intense streams of light poking around her drapes. Walking towards the large window, she stepped over the still resting body of Piplup, who had fallen off the windowsill and now, somehow, slept upside-down in a literal headstand.

"_He's probably eating right now…"_

She happily pushed open her bedroom windows, enjoying the blinding light and fresh air as it poured into her room. It had been a long time since she had last woken in this room, and she was glad to finally be in such a familiar place.

Looking around quickly, she felt at ease. She knew the view from her room like the back of her hand, and continued to happily enjoy the world around her.

"_I wonder if Pallet Town looks like this too."_

Looking at the garden below, she could see Glameow raising her nose at a young, foraging Pidgey, who, finding nothing, quickly flew off. Far beyond her mother's signature Pokemon was the rest of town. Given how spread out Twinleaf Town was geographically, Dawn could only make out a handful of other buildings, but everything looked about the same as it had the last morning she'd spent in this room.

"_I guess little changes in a town like this."_

She slowly shook her head with a nostalgic smile etched on her face. Turning away from the window, she made her way quickly to the bathroom to get ready. As she passed near the hallway, she noticed a warm, familiar scent wafting through the house. She nodded knowingly as she closed the door behind herself.

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"This looks great Johanna! Thanks!"

The black-haired trainer eagerly dove into a small pile of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, enjoying every bite. While it wasn't Brock's cooking, something about the food made it taste just as good.

"Thank you Ash! Did you sleep well last night?" Ash almost choked. He'd almost forgot about what had happened the night before. He quickly tried to cover up his sudden antics, but Johanna noticed immediately, raising an eyebrow in suspision. "Did something happen?" Ash thumped his chest a bit before working out a reply.

"N-nothing much really…" Ash lied. As he thought back to the night before, he felt his eyes glaze over and the world around him fall out of focus.

*Flashback*

Ash, continuing the embrace, started to feel her tears soaking his shoulder. He was glad that he could be there for the obviously distraught Dawn, but started to think he might be going too far in trying to comfort his friend. Trying somehow to dampen his reaction, he spoke up, quietly at first, "Hey, Dawn?"

Dawn was mute for a while, but eventually nodded into his shoulder.

Ash took a deep mental breath, and continued, "Are you ok? What's bothering you?" Of course, he knew exactly what was wrong. After all, just a few hours ago, Dawn had asked when Ash was leaving, and now, here she was, crying onto his rapidly soaking shoulder. Even someone as dense as himself could figure it out. She didn't want to let go.

*End Flashback*

As Ash's focus came back to the world around him, he once again dug into his food. As he did so, a fully dressed Dawn came down the stairs and sat down beside him.

"Ash, will you ever behave around food?" Dawn asked, sweat-dropping at his violent attack on breakfast.

Ash stopped eating and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Sorry Dawn, I can't help it! Your mom cooks almost as well as Brock does!"

Dawn sighed with a resigned smile and looked back towards her plate. She was still confused about what had happened the night before. Ash seemed to finally have broken out of being dense, but then he just pulled back. She decided to ignore Ash's off-putting question. After all, he had come out of nowhere to help comfort her. To Dawn, that was all that really mattered.

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Ash and Dawn made their way back down Twinleaf Town's main road, heading off towards Route 201. Pikachu and Piplup were walking a little ways ahead of the two, occasionally stopping to explore various plants and ornaments that decorated the road.

Ash and Dawn spent some time discussing Ash's recent league performance, but after a while they drifted back into silence. This wasn't unusual for them; after all, there would often be long swaths of their journeys that would take place in utter silence. However, this was different, as there was no "third" wheel to their group anymore. The silence was no longer balanced, but instead awkward in nature.

Wanting to take his attention away from their floundering conversation, Ash looked around at the "Fresh and Free" town[3], which reminded him of his own hometown in Kanto. That nearly congruent town was the home from which he was so far removed and yet so attached. In a life that had now become about journeys, it was his one anchor point.

"So… what are you planning to do?"

Dawn's sudden question caught Ash off guard. He stammered for a bit before responding.

"You mean after I get back to Kanto?" Dawn paused for a moment, looking down a bit, before nodding slightly. "I'm… not sure really. I've always just gone wherever the wind takes me[4]. What about you?"

"I'm probably just going to stay here in Twinleaf for a while, I haven't really decided what else I could do."

"Maybe you could train up for another go at the Grand Festival? I'm sure that with a little more practice you could win it all this time!" Ash said with a smile. He remembered how Dawn had come so close to winning her first Grand Festival, just barely losing out to Zoey in the final round. Ash had been surprised how well Dawn had taken it, especially when Dawn had previously gotten so upset over not making it past the first round of two qualifier tournaments.

"_I guess she's growing up. We both learned so much during our journeys through Sinnoh, it's hard to believe it's almost time to leave…"_

Dawn laughed a bit before replying, "Maybe you're right… but I'll have to think about it."

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After what felt like nearly an hour, they finally reached the start of Route 201. Dawn, in a sudden burst of energy, grabbed Ash by the arm and dragged him off down the path to the west. "Come on Ash! Let's go!"

Surprised by her abrupt change in liveliness, Ash ran (or rather, was dragged) along behind an excited Dawn as they made their way towards Verity Lakefront. Pikachu and Piplup gave each other quizzical looks before following after.

They passed through a narrow forest path, but paid no attention to their surroundings as they charged into the large clearing around the Lake of Truth.[5]

"Here we are!" Ash looked out over the large, clear body of water. The lake stretched as far as the eye could see in each direction, shimmering with the reflected light of the still-rising sun.

While Ash stood still, taking in the scenic surroundings, Dawn bounced over towards a large tree near the lake's edge.

"_The lake trio: Mespirit, Azelf, Uxie. Why did they choose us? What does it mean? Uxie was a representation of knowledge, which makes sense for Brock. Azelf was for willpower, which also makes sense for me… Mespirit was… the pokemon of…"_

"Ash? Are you ok?" Ash quickly came to, still standing in the soft plain of rough[6]. Shaking himself awake internally, he jogged over to Dawn, who was now sitting against the large tree.

It was an outrageously large tree, far taller than anything else in the area. Near the top, Ash could see a lone Pidgey fluttering around, its calls detracting from the otherwise quiet lake atmosphere. Ash finally made his way over to Dawn and sat down next to her against the tree.

The tree, of course, was _the_ tree. And the Pidgey squawking just in ear-shot, of course, was _the_ bird. Oblivious to the significance of the insignificant white noise around and above them, they carried on sitting.

And it was by _that_ tree and under _that_ bird that they sedately, silently consumed the day, much as one might consume one's last meal. It was a somber, but somewhat resigned time; the mood only broken by three shapes sprinting across the field.

"_They seem to be having fun," _Dawn thought to herself. _"Does Buneary even know? I should probably tell her tonight, before it's too late."_

They sat there until they could no longer hear the Pidgey's desperate cries, until they could no longer feel warmth from the now-setting sun. As the sky flamed orange and the shadows engulfed them, Dawn leaned towards Ash unconsciously for warmth. Ash, noticing how Dawn was shivering, took off his jacket and offered it to her. Ash was used to managing without it, once even trying to ride out a blizzard in just his t-shirt while using his jacket to keep his Pokemon warm.

Dawn took the jacket appreciatively, and the two stayed nested together, watching the sunset for the last time on their journey. Tomorrow would be the last day.

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**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review to help me improve for next time! Positive and negative comments welcome!**

'**Til next time!**

**-Facescar**

Brief character notes (which might be useful for understanding the beginning of this chapter in a few weeks).

In my opinion:

Ash is always ready to face a new challenge, but is often quite dumb/reckless about how or when to approach it. Pikachu, on the other hand, often recognizes this stupidity. While Pika's not averse to adventure (often being just as excited about it), he can (or is at least learning to) recognize boundaries.

Dawn, on the other hand, is moderately risk-averse. She (like Pikachu) loves a good adventure, but she's apt to think more about the logistics. She is self-doubting at times. Piplup, on the other hand is overly self-confident and always tries to take a leadership position, even if he's not ready. He… is dumb. Dumber even than Ash.

I'd say I'm most like Piplup, at least for now. ;P

Annotations:

[1]Pikapi: Pikachu's name for Ash. Meant to sound like his Japanese name, "Satoshi".

[2]Chuuuuu Pi-ka: The phrase Pikachu always says when using… Iron Tail. Ouch.

[3]"Fresh and Free": Twinleaf Town's game description. Seems fitting.

[4]To really get this one, you need to understand the lyrics of the four DP movies. In the Japanese version of each one, the ending them always mentions wind. "Take me where the wind blows, / to where the lost ones go", for example.

[5]Lake Verity is known as Shinji Lake (no, not Paul Shinji). Truth and emotions (Mespirit) are said to go together.

[6]Rough in this sentence is as in the grass length in golf. For those who don't know much about golf, it basically means longer grass of varying length. Also makes for a nice pun. ;D


	4. The Dark Night

**Hey everyone! Facescar here, back with Chapter 4 of "What's Left Unsaid".**

**I want to thank everyone who left a review, gave advice, or "motivated" me to finally finish this chapter. It's quite a doozy... XP Specifically, Syugecin, Betamax16, and NeoMiniTails deserve a lot of credit, you all helped a ton!**

**Anyways, on with the show! (I've noticed a pattern with the chapter names, have you?)**

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**Chapter 4 - The Dark Night**

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Intense nothingness.

What was so noticeable now was not some towering tree or fledgling Pidgey, but instead the ink-black "world" itself, if utter lack could be a world in itself. The Moon and its usual backdrop were gone, hidden by self-cloaking clouds. Even the incessant lights of man could not violate the dark preserve.

In the abyss, nothing stirred, almost as if nothing existed. Only the shapeless, inconsistent sounds of seeping liquid and broken gusts could permeate the wall from light.

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…

"Nrrrmmm…"

…_Cold…_

A brisk breeze blew over bare arms, rousing a young man roughly into a barely conscious state. As his sense of touch began slowly returning to him, he became, slowly, aware of his surroundings. Inhaling deeply, he could feel his lungs chilling, rousing him from sleep further.

_It's cold… Why? Why is it so cold…? How long was I out?_

Ash's eyelids strained open slowly, struggling to overcome their newfound weight. His eyes, black of course, expected to once again ensnare the deep, fire-like sky. They were, instead, shocked by the dark void that surrounded him. For a moment, Ash thought he was alone, awaking to some new reality. Perhaps he was in a dream, a vision of some alternate, black, formless realm. As he began to stir physically, stretching hesitantly yet violently to awaken himself, he realized that the sounds carried differently in the cold, open air. It was not that they were distorted, necessarily, but rather that they carried a much sharper tone. The popping of some undetermined joint as he stretched his arm sounded like a gunshot, and the noise of the fabric of his shirt adjusting itself to his movements sounded like a tarp reacting to a strong snap of the wrist. He could hear every sound with precision- or… maybe it was just his still-groggy mind creating another dreamscape through sound. Ash felt totally self-contained, uncertain of anything anymore. He still wasn't sure where he was, or even what time he found himself in.

Then he noticed Dawn.

Dawn was still asleep with Ash's jacket limply draped over her shoulders. Ash jumped slightly when he realized that she was resting her head heavily on his otherwise isolated shoulder. Adjusting awkwardly, now mindful of her light yet weighty presence, Ash realized too that Dawn had wrapped one of her arms loosely around him in her sleep, pulling them even closer together. Trying to make out her face as his eyes worked desperately to adjust to the darkness, he noticed a slight tint on her cheeks.

His progressively awakening brain raced… or, it tried to race, but there was some sickeningly darkened gum on his brain's foot, and it couldn't keep up with itself.

_She's… blushing? I- I wonder what she must be dreaming… about? Or maybe she's… she's warm from wearing my jacket? Should I take it off? I am cold… I could use it now… But would it be mean? I mean…_

Ash sat in stunned silence for what seemed like an eternity, uncertain of what to do, or if even speaking in this unusual existence would break some fittingly unspoken code. After sitting and attempting to think, a futile effort, for what felt like an hour, although it wasn't nearly that long, Ash realized that they had to get back to her house, and fast. Now that his eyes had adjusted and his brain had fully awakened, he started scanning his surroundings for the forest's edge, hoping to spot the narrow trail that Dawn had used to bring them here.

He still couldn't see anything past her.

* * *

He had long ago noticed the massive tree behind him, and that they were still near lake Verity. But finding a way out of this unfamiliar terrain in the dead of night seemed daunting, to say the least.

_What time is it? It must be well past curfew by now…_

Realizing that he and Dawn had to get moving, but uncertain of where to go or how to do it, Ash tried to wake Dawn up. Shaking her shoulder gently, he spoke in a near-whisper, "Hey, Dawn?" Despite shallowly waking from her sleep, Dawn only replied with a few incoherent mumbles, before burying her head deeper into Ash's shoulder.

Ash probed again, "Dawn? Come on, we need to get up now." He felt increasingly awkward with each word.

With a slight shudder, the voice on his shoulder replied with a small, weak sound, "J- just five more minutes Ash… I'm tired."

Realizing that being Mr. Nice Guy wouldn't work; he decided to have a little fun. Raising his voice in fake alarm, he yelled, "Dawn, what happened to your hair?"

Dawn's eyes shot open as her face drained. Mysteriously gathering strength, she immediately threw herself away from him, grabbing frantically at her hair. Realizing that it was all still in place, her sudden burst of energy faded as quickly as it had appeared. "ASH KETCHUM! I'M GONNA… I'm gon-… I…"

And then she was falling. Ash hastily scrambled over, reaching her just in time to catch her near-lifeless form. Realizing that Dawn wouldn't be able to walk for a while, Ash sighed and closed his eyes. Now he had to figure a way out of this forest of no shadows…

As Ash set Dawn down to think, a dark, heavy mist rolled silently through the forest.

_

* * *

Pikachu… Where's Pikachu?_

He hadn't seen his electric companion since he and Dawn had fallen asleep against the tree. In fact, he hadn't seen Piplup and Buneary either.

_Where could they be? I'm sure they wouldn't have strayed far._

Suddenly, a bold of small lightning arched out, contrasting violently with the black, nearly liquid air. Ash, his eyes startled back into blindness by the sudden flash of light, stumbled back a bit before scrambling in the direction of the flash. Where there was lightning, there was…

"Pikapi!" A small but familiar lump landed on his head, just as -

"Bun-eary!" another one landed on his gut [1], although he was pretty sure the Rabbit Pokemon hadn't intended to slam into him headfirst. Concerned, Pikachu jumped down and picked his slumping companion up off the ground. Out of embarrassment, Buneary pulled away, falling on her face in the process.

Ash watched with restrained amusement the scene unfolding below him, but he noticed a problem. "Hey, Pikachu, where's Piplup?"

Pikachu, who was picking Buneary up yet again, quickly dropped her and waved his short arms dramatically. After listening for a bit, Ash finally understood what he was saying.

"He left?" Ash blurted out, covering his mouth and checking behind himself nervously. Seeing that Dawn was still asleep, Ash turned back towards the flailing mouse and dejected bunny. "So this wasn't too long ago, huh? Then he must still be close by." Standing up, Ash stared off into the still-dark horizon, searching desperately for a way out. He didn't know the region, Dawn was barely conscious, and now her most prized Pokemon was gone.

Regardless, Ash knew he had to stay positive. "All right, let's go find him!"

Walking back towards the still-unconscious form of Dawn, Ash thoughtlessly ran his fingers over the five minimized Pokeballs resting on his belt.

_Find Piplup and bring Dawn home…_ _Well, maybe I can get both done in one shot. If Piplup ran away from here, he's probably headed home…_

"Gible! I choose you!" The Land Shark Pokemon landed with a light thud, staring, unfazed, into the darkness. "Gible, Draco Meteor!"

Gible's whole body lit up with a glowing orange light, made all the more spectacular as it contrasted violently with the liquid darkness around him. As the light began gathering steadily in his gut, a large sphere of Dragon energy formed in his mouth. Given Gible's small size, the powerful attack soon overwhelmed him, forcing his mouth wide open. When the odd, Pac-Man-shaped Pokemon couldn't take it anymore, he fired the attack into the blackened sky. The sphere seemed, not to rise, but to shrink against the clouded sky before it finally reached its apex. The ball "popped" in a small puff of smoke, and a single, smaller sphere made its way gently down into the distance. To Ash and the Pokemon, who were watching the attack intently, the failed Draco Meteor seemed to be arcing across the sky, growing smaller and smaller as it weaved over the invisible horizon. Finally, the attack slammed into earth, creating a sizable explosion.

"Piplup must be over there! Let's get Dawn and go!" Ash said, quickly turning back to where he had left her. Somehow finding her in the dark, Ash knelt over her still-sleeping form, uncertain of how he was going to pick her up. In the past, if Dawn had fallen asleep on the trail, Ash had relied on Brock to carry her. But now, Brock was long gone, and Ash would have to find a way to carry her.

Ash tried first to wake Dawn up but, like before, she didn't stir. Undeterred, Ash propped Dawn up against himself, trying to get a feel for her weight. Realizing that there was probably no other way, Ash stood slowly, struggling to pull Dawn up with him by the shoulders. Finally, he'd reached a point where Dawn was upright, but leaning against him heavily for support.

_She's almost as big as I am… so how is this going to work? I'm not nearly strong enough to carry her, so I guess the only solution is to…_

* * *

And so, Ash Ketchum dragged Dawn the several miles back to her house, at an excruciatingly slow pace. It wasn't exactly the most refined way to move Dawn, but it worked.

Every once in a while, to check his course, Ash would call out another Draco Meteor, following the squirming path of the bright orange ball as it found its way to Piplup. Ash had long since learned from his electric buddy that Piplup had indeed run back home. The Penguin Pokemon had felt ignored by Pikachu and Buneary, who had apparently had an interesting night of their own. The whole way back, Buneary wouldn't stop blushing, and Pikachu wouldn't stop being embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

_I'll have to ask them what's going on… _Ash noted to himself

Finally, the four reached Dawn's house, where a series of still-sizzling craters littered the walkway to the house. Ash sweatdropped when he saw the carnage, "Maybe I shouldn't have called out so many…"

"Pika…"

Nevertheless, Ash was thoroughly relieved to have finally made it back, and started to ease Dawn off his shoulder. But Dawn, who was still stuck firmly in dreamland, seemed to have other plans. Somehow feeling herself slip off Ash, her previously peaceful face swiftly changed into one of discontent, and she unconsciously reacted.

"WAH!"

Dawn had thrown herself on top of Ash, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders. Her head planting itself sideways into the back of his head, making Ash fall forwards. With a small grunt, Ash landed face-first, quickly followed by a now content Dawn. "So warm…" she said with a smile.

"Pikapi!"

Ash, with swirls in his eyes responded in a dazed voice, "N-no need to worry, Pikachu."

Suddenly, the front door to Dawn's house flew open, revealing a rather worried looking Johanna and a peeved looking Piplup. Seeing Gible, Piplup immediately launched himself into a frenzy, ruthlessly attacking the oblivious Pokemon. Soon, Gible disappeared in a flash of red light, leaving Piplup swinging at a puff of dirt.

"Dawn! Ash! Where have you two been?" came a concerned voice from the doorway. Johanna stood there, leaning forward slightly, obviously expecting some kind of explanation. Ash felt incredibly awkward. Here he was, lying underneath her sprawling daughter while Johanna stood above both of them. Luckily, however, she seemed to be ignoring this.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Ash sweatdropped, "Sorry Johanna, but we kinda dozed off by the lake, so I didn't really know."

Johanna seemed visibly more relaxed, "Hmm, I see. Well, take Dawn inside and I'll get you something to eat. You must be starving!" Excited at the prospect of food, Ash quickly got up and found the strength to carry Dawn in on his back. As he dragged her along, her feet collided somewhat with the tips of the wooden stairs. Pikachu and Buneary followed close behind, happy to once again reach civilization. Piplup kicked the dirt, stubbing a toe, before he finally made his way back to the house.

* * *

After eating his fill and making sure Dawn was comfortably resting, Ash stood up. He felt rather well rested from his sleep earlier, and could already see the sun starting to peek up above the distant mountains. As he walked over to the door, Johanna interrupted him, "Ash, where are you going? Shouldn't you be getting some more rest too?"

With a small smile, Ash replied, "No need to worry! I'm going to go take a quick walk while Dawn's still snoozing." With that, he left the house and started a short walk around Twinleaf Town.

* * *

As Ash trudged through a dirt path on the outskirts of Twinleaf, he watched the Sun slowly rise over the horizon.

_Twinleaf sure seems cool. It's so peaceful here, just like Pallet Town._

Maybe that's why he loved to keep moving. The fresh morning air, the way it always recharged his spirit, there was just something about it; something that kept him motivated. He knew one thing was for sure, that he couldn't stop here. As much as he didn't want to make Dawn sad, as much as he had loved traveling in Sinnoh, it was time for him to move on. He was getting restless.

As he walked, he noticed a slight rustling in his pocket. Reaching his hand in, his fingers caught the edge of a small slip of paper.

_That's the note Brock gave me. I wonder if Brock meant for me to read it now…_

Ash grabbed the note between his thumb and forefinger and pulled the roughly crumbled note from his jeans, staring at it as he reached the top of a large hill. As he sat on a large rock near the peak, he began unfurling the paper. Flattening the mysterious note against the rock, Ash quickly read through the short message.

_So I want to move on… but what about Dawn? What about her?_

* * *

Today was her day. She was finally going to fly. She wasn't sure where her companion had gone, but she knew that, in order to catch up with _him_, time was of the essence. So she climbed the short yet tall wall, and stood at the edge.

The world swam out of focus beneath her. Never before had she peered over the edge and looked down. From this mammoth tree, the ground was some distance blob, blocked from view by the occasional branch or passing fogy cloud. She chirped slightly out of shock, but immediately reminded herself of her goal. After one last practice flap, she was ready.

And so the second Pidgey left her nest.

* * *

"Spend more time with Dawn. She would like that." Ash just stood in place, not sure what to think of the message.

_Spend time with her? What does he mean? He knew we were still going to be traveling together for a while._

Unable to make sense of the note, he looked up, noticing a golden Pidgey flying unsteadily across the sky, almost gliding towards the rising sun.

* * *

Ash let himself in through the front door, taking off his shoes and walking towards the videophone sitting in the living room.

"Welcome back Ash!" Johanna said from her seat in the next room. "Dawn's still asleep, but she'll probably be awake again soon."

"Thanks Johanna, can I make a quick call on the phone?" Ash said, gesturing to the dormant device.

"Of course!"

Ash dialed in his home number, waiting a few seconds before his mother's overly enlarged face appeared on the screen.

"Ashy-kins? Honey? Is that you? How's your you-know-what? Are you still changing it everyday?" his ecstatic mother almost screamed into the screen, running through her usual questions [3].

"Come on mom…" Ash replied, embarrassed. Hearing snickering beside him, he turned to see Pikachu bouncing down the stairs, a large ketchup bottle resting, lopsided, in his grip.

"Oh hi Pikachu!" Delia said, her face pressing up against the display glass, "Where did you find that bottle? Put it back this instant!" Pikachu hugged the bottle tighter, obviously unwilling to leave his tomato love.

"It's all right Delia, it's good to see you again!" Johanna said, coming up on the other side of Ash.

"Oh! Johanna! It's so nice to see you too! How's Dawn do-" Ash quietly crept out of the motherly conversation, following Pikachu up the stairs to Dawn's room. Even if she was still sleeping, he had to still pack up for today.

Reaching the hallway outside the room, Ash quietly slid the door open, poking his head in. Dawn was sleeping on her bed, as usual, with Piplup and Buneary both resting near her feet. Ash's entrance seemed to have no effect, but the moment Pikachu stepped in, Buneary leaped into action, tackling the electric rodent to the ground.

Laughing a bit at Pikachu's embarrassed reaction, Ash made his way over to his stuff, and began to pack up his stuff. Soon, Buneary noticed and bounced over, poking suspiciously at his pack. Ash quickly realized what was wrong.

"You want to know what this is for? So… Dawn didn't have a chance to tell you, huh?" Buneary just stared at him, more confused than ever. "Well, Pikachu and I are leaving today."

Buneary stood rooted to the ground, motionless for what seemed like an eternity. While her body was still, it was clear something profound had changed. As she understood what Ash meant, her eyes changed from beady and questioning to teary and absolutely horrified.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Just across the dim room from the rummaging trainer was his Sinnoh traveling companion's still-sleeping form. Despire her relaxed state, her face showed a clear sign of dissatisfaction and- oddly enough, a cool temperature.

She had been sleeping for hours now, but was finally coming back from her inward excursion. Inwardly, the gears began to turn, but her outward appearance remained peacefully unhappy.

…_Where am I? This fells like… could it be? The last thing I remember, I was by the lake with Ash, and he was yelling about my hair… MY HAIR!_

Dawn's eyes shot open as she lurched upright and screamed, grabbing wildly at her bed-head. Ash, who was just finishing to pack up, fell over sideways out of surprise, but recovered quickly. From the floor, he quipped, "Hey Dawn, nice to hear you're awake."

"Ohh," she replied irritably as she continued to mess with her hair. "Stop looking at me!"

Ash, though, was way ahead of her, already opening the door to leave. "I'll get Piplup for you."

Dawn, surprised by his calm reaction, called out after him, "Wait Ash! Where are they?"

Ash stopped at the doorway, his silhouette framed nicely by the much stronger hallway lights. He answered her question, but didn't look back at her. "Piplup's tring to make friends with Glameow[4] and Buneary's refusing to let go of Pikachu. I… I kinda told her about what's happening today." Ash walked out of the doorway, closing the portal to light behind him.

"Oh…"

* * *

-END CHAPTER-

**AN: Hey everyone! You might have noticed that this style was slightly different. I struggled to write the first 30% or so, but the rest flowed nicely. And, f****or those wondering why the start is so jagged, it's supposed to be like that :)**

**Next time: Ash Says Goodbye!**

**References:**

**[1] A reference to DP009, "Setting the World On Its Buneary", when the then wild pokemon ran into a tree headfirst. At the time, she was blinded by her own fur; this time, she was blinded by the darkness, much as Ash was.**

**[2] The color of a shiny Pidgey is golden. What's interesting is that, in M11's ending Japanese Theme, Dawn (who the song is clearly from the perspective of) says that someone (almost definitely Ash) shines. I reversed this for their Pokemon representations.**

**[3] A running gag in Pokemon (which we haven't seen in a while, unfortunately) is that Ash's mother, Delia, keeps asking Ash if he is changing his underwear everyday. I love this joke, obviously :).**

**[4] You may remember that, in the episode where Dawn fought Johanna, Glameow AND Umbreon both ignored Piplup's friendly advances. Since, however, Umbreon isn't seen as often, I chose to just mention Glameow.**


	5. Winds of Change! Ash Says Goodbye!

**Hey there readers! Here's Chapter 5 of "What's Left Unsaid". I'm happy to say that this story has now reached 2000 views! Thank you so much for all your support! :D**

**Back to chapter 5, sorry this took so long to get done... My midterms are next week, and I really worked hard on making this chapter as good as I can make it before I get sucked up into that and other "stuff".**

**I've noticed that some of you think that the plot isn't moving enough per chapter. No longer. While there will obviously be chapters devoted to very small segments of time, I'll try to make sure that each chapter covers a bit more ground than before (whether it be plot progression, character development, etc.). If some of you like the "slow and steady" approach, feel free to speak up. I can try and find a middle ground :)**

**Also, this will ****not**** be the last chapter. I've dramatically extended the storyline. You might see sharp turns in the plot from here on out, but I'll do my best to keep the style consistent and the characters… well… in character! (fyi, the overall plot was finalized around the time I started chapter 3, so this isn't some arbitrary move ;)). This chapter will also likely be one of the last long chapters I get out this year.**

**Anyways, on with the show!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 5: "Winds of Change! Ash Says Goodbye!"**

"Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires."[1]

* * *

She'd done it. Finally, she was riding the wind. [2]

The wind was gratifying and freeing. It helped and pushed and supported the novice as she rose higher and higher. Her fair feathers perfectly caught the strong rays of sunlight as they poured over the forest around her. She was a shining bullet, a golden-caped superhero. She was finally out, free from the loving prison that had been her home.

She felt the powerful gusts of air fill her wings, carrying her as she soared.

Finally, at last, she was flying.

_Maybe now I can find him_.

And so she flew on, riding the wind as it made its way to her now fellow flier.

* * *

Five figures tentatively make their way through a well-worn forest path, walking reluctantly under a punishing sky. The sun was now plunging in the west, watching the travelers inching away from his still-powerful rays.

But it was not the sun's harsh light that bothered Dawn as she passed another sign marking the distance to Sandgem. It was the wind. She could feel it pushing at her back, dragging her faster and faster towards Sandgem. She could sense that terrible, invisible force tearing at every inch of her, urging her onward. With every muscle in her body, she leaned herself against the wind, fighting desperately to slow her pace, to lengthen her time with him. Looking down, she could see Buneary trying to do the same, digging her paws into the hardened dirt.

But there was someone who had not noticed the change in pace, nor the adamant gusts. Ash was moving faster now, boosted by the powerful tailwind.

_This wind… is taking him away._ [3]

Dawn could see Ash move farther and farther from her; she could feel him slowly leaving her grip, floating away like a feather on a breeze.

_What if he doesn't care?_

_

* * *

_

It was still early in the morning, and a newly readied Dawn stood in her room. After Piplup had fixed her hair, Ash had gone to use her shower, and now Dawn and Buneary were sitting on her bed, talking over the sound of running water from the next room. Just outside, in the hallway, a very squished and tired looking Pikachu rested, listening absentmindedly to the conversation.

"So… Ash told you, right?" Buneary nodded, tears still threatening to fall from her eyes. Dawn tried to comfort her, saying, "Hey, no need to worry! I'm sure we'll see Ash again real soon!"

Buneary wanted to believe her, but she still couldn't hold back her tears. Dawn sighed understandingly, pulling Buneary into a tight hug. Buneary was shaking slightly as she cried, each ragged breath rattling her small body. "Hey…, it's ok… no need to worry…" She could feel Buneary slowly stop crying, her breathing finally returning to normal, "There's no need to worry." Somewhere unseen, the water stopped.

Dawn sat on her bed, her back to her bright window, holding Buneary close as she rocked the Bunny Pokemon slowly. What got to her wasn't that Buneary was crying - that she could understand almost intimately - but rather that the both of them had been so weak in this whole ordeal. Just like Buneary had lost control when she learned that she and Pikachu would have to split up, Dawn had been unable to hold back her emotions in front of Ash.

* * *

_Looking up from her displaced position, she saw a tired but concerned pair of thin, brown eyes looking back, each resting over a small z-shaped mark. "Ash…" Dawn wanted to stop crying, trying not to look so weak in front of her friend, but her resulting failed efforts only made her sound even more distraught. Giving up, Dawn leaned over, wrapped Ash in a weak hug, and rested her head on Ash's shoulder._

_

* * *

_

_Ever since I met Ash, I've grown so much. But even now, I still acted like a fool when I realized he was going to leave. Am I really that weak? Or am I really this sad? Why?_

Dawn was woken from her thoughts by the sudden turning of a knob. Quickly looking up, Dawn saw Ash walking out of the bathroom. His usual jeans were there, but his shirt was not. Instead, he had pulled a white towel around the back of his neck, holding each side in a hand. [4]

"Oh, hi Dawn!" Ash said, almost surprised to see her still in her room. Making his way to the hallway door, he asked, in a somewhat softer voice, "So, is Buneary feeling better?"

Dawn, still a bit surprised by Ash's entrance, responded, "Yeah, she's getting there." She paused a bit, still staring at him, before asking. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

Ash looked down quickly, before responding with an embarrassed smile, "Oh that," Dawn laughed a bit before he continued, "I kinda forgot to bring a shirt with me, my bad."

Dawn sighed with an amused smile on her face while Ash continued towards the door. When he had reached the door and grabbed the knob, he spoke again, "So… are you ready to go?"

Dawn, again caught a off-guard by the question, stammered out a reply, "Y-yeah… I'm ready."

Ash, now halfway out the door, again used his softer voice, "Ok, I'll be outside."

Just before the door closed, Dawn could see Ash and a small flash of yellow move down the hall.

* * *

Dawn had given in to the wind, and was now walking just behind Ash. Buneary had jumped up to her shoulder, likely to get closer to Pikachu.

"So, have you figured out what you want to do after I leave?"

Dawn thought a bit before responding vaguely, "I have an idea, but I'm still not sure."

Ash turned his head slightly to look at her, but didn't speak.

They continued their timed walk, passing yet another sign along the road. Soon after, they entered a thinner, shadowed portion of the trail. Dawn subconsciously moved closer to Ash.

"Do you know when Kenny and Barry are getting back?" Ash seemed to want to fill their walk with some final update, a final checkup. Dawn sighed knowingly, concealing it as deep thought. Ash seemed almost startled by her proximity, his suddenly moving shoulders almost dethroning Pikachu.

"Well, Barry told us he's in Johto, so I don't expect to see him again soon" she said, moving her finger to her cheek as she continued talking [5]. "But… I don't know about Kenny. I haven't heard from him since Sunyshore." Ash nodded, moving his fingers along the brim of his hat absentmindedly.

So silence fell over the group once again as the final walk continued.

* * *

Pikachu was no longer perched on Ash's shoulder. Now, he was walking along just beside him, entertaining himself with the ketchup bottle he had "borrowed" from Dawn's house. He was launching small bullets of the condiment into his now-gaping mouth.

Unfortunately, Pikachu soon tripped, launching his prized bottle into the air. Buneary saw the falling glass bottle spin slowly through the air, spraying more condiment goodness out as it flew. In a desperate attempt, she dived to try and save it. Unfortunately, she was too late, and the bottle slammed into a rock, splattering the adored food all over the path.

Ash and Dawn walked calmly past the mess, with Dawn making sure not to spoil her boots in the goop. Buneary, on the other hand, had to drag Pikachu down the path by the feet, despite his desperate attempts to try and gather the spilled sauce.

* * *

The setting sun loomed ominously over the world, almost as if its red-hot surface was ready to reach out and burn away the forest below. Instead, it lowered itself between the steady, cool trees, seeming to fit neatly into Route 201's valley of trees.

Delivering themselves from this falling orb, Ash and Dawn crested a small hill, now overlooking Sandgem Town's modest layout. There was Professor Rowan's lab in one corner, surrounded by the Sinnoh Forest. Across town, there was a relatively modest port, with only a few active piers. At one sat a still-loading ferry, preparing for another installment of its usual, biweekly journey to Kanto.

Ash sighed, a whimsical smile on his face, "That's my boat."

Dawn just stared ahead, ignoring the familiar town's landscape. All that existed to her now was that ship. That dreaded ship. It was not yet even turned on, its still shape only disturbed by the occasional wave or breeze, but its purpose was clear. It was going to take him away.

* * *

Worn shoes met stone as the group reached the main road of Sandgem. They had just stopped for a quick dinner; at a place Dawn seemed to have some unmentioned history in [6].

Ash reached his hand up to fell at the corner of his hat again, twisting the cap slightly side to side. Even though he wanted to move on, he felt restless about what was going to happen to Dawn.

_Brock's note said– but I __have__ to leave!_

Ash kicked at the ground, creating a somewhat shocking squeaking noise. Dawn turned to look at him, but seeing nothing out of the ordinary, continued walking.

_But if that's the way it has to be, then why doesn't it __feel__ like the right thing to do?_

He looked up, eying the artificial skyline and the isolated branches rooted in concrete walkways.

_Oh well._ [7]

* * *

They had reached the port now, the large boat's previously dormant smokestacks were now giving signs of life, a deep, dark smoke pouring out as thick as fog [8]. The boat was all packed, ready to set sail, and was now admitting passengers. Ash and Dawn stood together near the start of the ship's pier, watching the final preparations finish.

Ash tried to be excited, saying, "Ready to go, Pikachu?" Pikachu facepalmed, lighting bolts threatening from his cheeks.

"So…" Ash tightened up, realizing his mistake even before the words left Dawn's mouth.

"So…" Ash mirrored, turning slightly to look at his companion.

"So this is it?"

Ash looked away, shifting awkwardly and without purpose. "Yeah… Looks like it." He looked back, only to find Dawn still staring at him. She quickly turned away to face the sea, staring at everything yet seeing nothing. Ash looked back at the ground; she wasn't taking this well. "But…" He could sense her reawaken and look back at him. "But… there's one more thing I have to do." Dawn gave him a quizzical look, clearly confused.

"Here, close your eyes."

* * *

_C-close my eyes?_

At first, Dawn was hesitant. She looked down at Buneary, who was evidently being asked the same thing by Pikachu. Eventually, almost reluctantly, Dawn did as Ash asked. She felt more than a little nervous, staring at the self-imposed darkness impatiently.

"Now hold still…"

She could feel her hair suddenly getting pulled up by her beanie, which was… odd.

"Hey!" He was taking off her hat?

"Just a little bit longer now." Her hat was now off, but just as she felt ready to burst her eyes open to fight for it, she heard an odd yet familiar noise. Suddenly, she felt much calmer, as though a wave of comforting energy had just run through her.

She felt something new and unfamiliar land on her head. "You can open your eyes now."

_What's..._

As she opened her eyes, she could see Ash standing in front of her, but he looked… different. In his hand was her beanie but… that wasn't it. As she looked up at his face, she could see that he was smiling broadly, but was more interesting was that she could see his hair.

He wasn't wearing his hat.

Reaching up, Dawn could feel the brim of the cap resting loosely above her face. But something in the corner of her eye soon caught her attention. Glancing over, she saw a small shining sphere resting on a bright red thread. [9]

"Is this…?"

"My Soothe Bell, yeah." Ash said, a sheepish smile on his face. He was still standing in the place he had been just seconds earlier, but now he seemed closer. Somehow, this simple gift made his imminent departure disappear, and only his present presence remained. [10]

Dawn reached up and pulled the bell loose from the hat, its long, looped thread coming with it. She almost had trouble breathing as she tried to speak.

"Thank you… Ash." She could see him visibly relax as he realized that she liked the gift.

But as she examined Ash's gift, a genuine smile breaking through her previous sadness, she realized that there was a problem.

She didn't anything to give back to him.

Her mind raced as she tried to think of what gift she could improvise. As she tried to think, she looked around, seeing Pikachu and Buneary wrapped in a hug. Apparently Pikachu had also had a gift for Buneary, a new vest with pictures of the two of them stitched onto the front.

Ash saw them as well, letting out a light laugh, "Yeah, my mom stitched that up for Buneary and sent it over last night."

As Ash and Dawn looked on, Buneary got Pikachu to close his eyes. Then Buneary bounced onto Dawn's shoulder, opening her pack. After searching for a few seconds, she found her gift, jumping back down towards this still-waiting Pikachu.

_What can I give him...?_

Buneary then pushed the gift into Pikachu's short arms, causing him to suddenly open his eyes. Seeing the new, large bottle of Pikachu-branded ketchup, his eyes lit up.

_Maybe this will work... _

The excited Mouse Pokemon threw himself at Buneary, wrapping her in a tight hug. Buneary heavily blushed, obviously enjoying the moment.

_I hope it works…_

Ash and Dawn laughed jokingly at the scene, each enjoying the cute scene.

_Well, here goes..._

"Ok Ash!" Dawn said in her characteristically confident voice, even though it was mostly a bluff. "It's your turn now!"

Ash happily obliged, closing his eyes expectantly and relaxing his body. His shoulders slumped slightly as he stood; waiting for whatever gift Dawn was about to give.

Dawn quickly unknotted her scarf and pulled it off her neck. She'd had this scarf since well before she had set out on her journey. She'd worn it everyday she'd been with Ash, but it also carried memories from well before. In a way, it was going to be another hole created by Ash's departure, but Dawn ignored that.

She stepped closer to Ash. Pikachu and Buneary watched the two in anticipation, with Pikachu popping open the cap of the bottle.

The sudden noise made Ash jump slightly, but his immediate uncertainty quickly crystallized into a smile. "Pikachu, don't you think you could wait for a bit before you start eating?" Pikachu quickly shook his head and took a lick.

Dawn, trying to draw attention back to her gift, coughed slightly. Ash immediately turned back towards her, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Sorry."

Behind them, unnoticed, the final passengers began boarding the boat.

* * *

Dawn was now standing in front of him. She was right in front of the boy who was going to leave. Just down the dock sat the boat that was going to take him away. That boat was going to take her closest friend away. He was going to leave, and there was nothing she could do about it. No great gift, caring act, or desperate plea was going to make him stay. He wanted to go. He had to go.

So Dawn leaned forward and carefully wrapped her precious scarf around his neck. As she pulled each end of the fabric around to the front, she leaned forward, her eyes closed. Pulling on the ends for support and guidance, she continued to lean, further and further, almost as if she was leaning across the gap that was soon to come between them.

And so she kissed him on the cheek.

Ash's eyes flew open at the touch, and he stared in stunned silence as she slowly pulled back, opening her eyes.

"D-dawn?"

_Did I mess up?_

She searched for emotion in his brown eyes, any sign that he liked either gift. But he just stood still, staring in continued shock at her. His eyes seemed stunned, immobile.

_Did I go too far?_

Dawn took one step back, then two, and then she was running, her back turned to the boy at the dock. The boy with her scarf wrapped around his neck. The boy who had always been there for her continued to stand still, as if the touch of her lips had turned him into a statue.

_I ruined everything. I shouldn't have kissed him._

Buneary, staring after her master, seemed torn between following and staying with Pikachu. After a few seconds of indecision, she started bounding away, leaving Pikachu alone, standing beside the still stunned Ash.

Ash, seeing Dawn run away, finally seemed to awaken from his trance [11].

"Dawn?"

Dawn continued to run away, tears now streaming from her eyes.

_I shouldn't have kissed him._

"Dawn!"

_I ruined everything, for Buneary too. I ruined everything._

"Dawn!" And now Ash was running too. Or at least, he started to run. Just then, the boat's final whistle rang out, stopping Ash in his tracks.

Dawn too heard the whistle, but didn't stop running.

_He's going to leave. The wind is going to take him away._

She ran past the isolated trees, past the restaurant, past Rowan's lab, past everything. She didn't stop running until she was on the hill at the edge of town. Only then did she turn back to look.

The boat was gone, and Ash with it.

Buneary soon came bounding up the hill, stopping at Dawn's feet. After staring up at Dawn's grief-stricken face, she too turned and looked out at the bay. Seeing no ship, Buneary's always-standing ear drooped, and she jumped up to Dawns shoulder, wrapping her master's shaking head in a tight hug [12].

Dawn slowly brought her emotions under control. Turning out to sea, she whispered a final message in a shaky yet clear voice.

"Ash Ketchum, I think I love you."

* * *

**And that's the end of Chapter 5!**

**Again, _please review_ and let me know what you think! I really spent a lot of time tweaking and twisting different parts to get this to work, so ****please**** let me know what you liked, disliked, etc! I really do appreciate each and every review. Not to mention, reviews convince me to write much faster ;)**

**Also, please check out my profile for details on another project I'll be starting soon. It's a collab of sorts with someone you might be familiar with ;). It's been under development (ok, on the shelf) since what… early August? Something like that… So keep you eye out for that! :D**

**'Til next time!**

**-Facescar

* * *

**

Annotations:

[1] When I started the intro section, which this time I devoted to wind, I was having a hard time coming up with a good source of inspiration, so I thought I'd add a quote to set the mood. Then I found one that fit better than I could have ever hoped for. This is a quote by Fancois de La Rochefoucauld. Who's that? Not a clue ;D.

[2] While this line is similar to the TR motto, that wasn't really on purpose… You see, if you've followed what I've done on the Serebii Forums Pearlshipping thread, you know that I'm obsessed with references about wind in the Movie's themes and the new BW OP. You might see that a lot the rest of this story, who knows?

[3] This is a reference to M11's theme, "ONE" (I told you I obsess over this stuff). There the line is, "Please don't take him from me, wind."

[4] Think about the first Hippopotas episode, where Ash falls in the river. It's the same look as when Dawn and Brock try and dry off Hippopotas while Ash looks on, drying himself off. (Dawn was half-asleep right before this, and what's really cute is how she's still so worried about him. :)

[5] Dawn moves her finger to her cheek and looks up when addressing a thought she hadn't considered before. Hence, she hasn't thought about Kenny's future. Just a bit of setting the scene ;).

[6] DP001: Dawn goes into a restaurant in Sandgem, thinking it was Rowan's lab.

[7] Sadly, Ash is still dense. The use of pretty images and "meaningful" descriptions here is for your sake, not his. XP

[8] Oh, I just GAVE that one away XD. The smoke is a reference back to the thick fog from the last chapter. It's also a bit ironic to make something industrial like something natural.

[9] I know it may not seem like it, but this is a very, very subtle reference to the Pokemon Adventures Manga, which I read through between Chapters 3 and 5. My favorite relationship in the series (Red/Yellow) is twice signified by a red thread tying their pinkies together, which represents a destiny of marriage. Here, it isn't tied (it's a necklace, in case I didn't make that clear enough in the chapter), but you can take from it what you want.

[10] Won at the Hearhome Tag-Team Competition. Mirrors Dawn's win at the Hearthome PokeStylist Contest.

[11] Consider this the opposite of "Sleeping Beauty" :P.

[12] Shaking because Dawn's crying. Somehow, Buneary's fine (mirrors their reactions in DP191).


	6. The Broken Night! Again!

**_-Story Progress Note-_**  
_Thank you so much for making this story reach 4,000 hits! I can't even believe how great you've all been about this story, so thank you so much! 8D_

Hey there readers! At long last here's Chapter 6 of "What's Left Unsaid"! I apologize for the massive wait, but this story went on hiatus as I was working on school stuff. I'm not **quite** out of the woods on that yet, but I'm open enough to start writing again. In other news, I'm planning to restart my 100-part story soon. I'll let you know in the next chapter when that's coming out! (Also, Betamax16 gave me a _great_ idea for a third story during my hiatus, and CrimsonAsh310 from Serebii (if I remember right) gave me a good one-shot idea. Now it's all up to how much I can actually write XD)

Anyways, I've made one major change to the format of my story. Annotations are now going to be randomly interspersed with the actual chapter. By that I mean that, after every major break in the story, the annotations for that section will be posted. Hopefully that makes it easier to keep track of the various notes. :) If you liked the old format better, please let me know in a review!

In more story-oriented news, the focus (which until now has been about Ash and Dawn almost exclusively), will now spread out a bit. This is usually the point in other stories where I tend to lose interest, so I'll do my best to keep close to the central plot ;)

**And, as always, read, review, and enjoy!**

**Anyways, on with the show!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: "The Broken Night!"**

"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends." – _Richard Bach_

* * *

The water seemed to go on forever, stretching into the horizon. The creeping sun was the only reference point, its arch passing smoothly over the path to the missing companion. Somehow, deep down, she knew where he had gone. The sun was her guide.

She had long since gotten tired of flying: not of the sensation, but rather the physical effort. After all, she was still young, her wings weak. Looking for a spot to rest, she had happened upon a boat.

* * *

There's an overused saying: that every thousand-mile journey starts with a single step.

It's _supposed_ to mean that everything big starts with something small, something easy, and something insignificant. But it's also true that after everything big comes something small. After each journey, the story does not just end, no matter how neatly it might seem to be packaged. To be sure, the glitz and glamour is no more, but the life, the person, the story, remains. Some might call it the epilogue; others might call it a waste of space. But those first, dirty steps after the last are perhaps the most important. Those are the steps _she_ takes now.

When you've finished such a long journey, your _only_ journey, what do you do? Why should you keep walking?

What's the point?

Do you reinvent yourself? Do you start again down a similar path? That's what _he_ did. Perhaps that's what it takes to move on, but does it devalue the old to start a new? Do new friends weaken memories of older ones? Does quantity inherently defeat quality? Do the old ones even matter anymore?

Perhaps if _she_ were older, she would ask those questions. Perhaps she'll learn to ask a few; or maybe not. It's all up to the steps she takes as she walks back down the ill-lit path. It is night, yet she charges ahead as if she was yet wise enough to ask those questions. Or perhaps she did not notice the time, the dark sky, or the music of the forest [1]. Her mind was elsewhere, after all.

* * *

A single light shines vaguely somewhere above a clean, hardwood floor, casting a cautious shape over the room [2]. It sits unattended, stoically and statically watching over an opened scrapbook.

The dark air is absolutely quiet, an eerily unrecognizable state for the common room. In the vacuum, the steady, unnatural, and weak buzzing of the light bulb seems oddly amplified, its otherwise inaudible presence spotlighted by the sudden lack of competition.

Suddenly, though not hurridly, a person makes her way down a lit stairway. She works across the room, guided, not by the deceivingly far-off light, but by unconscious memory. Reaching the other side, she finds the switch, even in the dark, casting a truer light over the area.

As her light illuminates her waiting face. Casting the occasional, pensive glance out the window, she makes her way back across the room to a crowded mantle.

Despite the treasure trove of trophies littering the shelf, a relatively plain object catches her eye. It is a simple blue picture frame, decorated at the corners by that oh-so-common red and white circle. She picks it up, turning it a bit to better catch the light.

The picture itself is of two young friends, standing together on some brick pathway. Behind them, a large, four-part stadium sits dormant, unlike the trainers who stand before it. Both are smiling wide, evidently enjoying some un-captured moment [3].

_They look so happy. It's hard to believe it's only been a week…_

"She's grown up so much." The voice that came out seemed sad, almost mournful [4]. Surely, it wasn't out of place, but it wasn't quite what she had expected. She was happy her daughter had progressed so far; Dawn was truly following her dreams. Despite the joy, the mother and voice knew that it had come at a significant cost.

She glances again out the large window frame, past the patio, past the perfect landscaping, to the main road through town. This time, she finally spots what she was looking for. Far off down the path, her young daughter slowly returns. Her head is down, her gait slow and forced, but she is there.

Sighing at the sight with combination of relief and grief, Johanna sets the picture frame back down and moves a little closer to the glass.

* * *

Dawn stood on the dark path, her body just outside the bright edge of a streetlamp's light. A red light flashed out, recalling the Bunny Pokemon who stood beside her. Pausing momentarily, she collected herself and continued on down the path, passing briefly through the light.

Reaching the door of her house, she stopped and pulled out another Pokeball, quietly calling out the trapped Piplup. The newly freed Penguin Pokemon seemed shaken by his release and blindly, violently flailed about.

Laughing half-heartedly, Dawn opened the door, a sorted smile on her face.

* * *

**Flashback**

Warm…

They were by the lake, a light breeze passing over the shore. It was still warm. Just a bit. [5]

The sun was setting now over the horizon, making the air feel vaguely chilled, but they continued to sit as before. They were leaning against each other, by the tree, the lake, and the forest. But he was shivering; he wasn't wearing his jacket anymore.

The breeze was blowing. It got a bit colder.

_Maybe I can warm him up. It wouldn't hurt to get a little closer._

She smiled and shifted, wrapping her arm around him. He felt cold, but his body slowly warmed up, at least where I was holding him. It felt so good, that I almost forgot.

Forgot that the wind was going to take him away.

* * *

**Annotations part 1:**

[1] I might have gotten the name wrong, but it's the music Nando points out in his intro arc to get Ash and Dawn to appreciate nature.

[2] Odd word choice? You bet. I mean that shallow light in dark areas makes you aware of the shapes of the objects around you, but you can't be entirely certain. It's an odd image, I know.

[3] If you don't get it yet, watch DP 189, and look for the scene when Ash and Dawn are describing their life goals to Brock. Uncaptured means the photograph didn't capture the whole scene, just a freeze-frame.

[4] Scientists will tell you that the voice you hear when you speak is not the one others hear. Scientifically, it has to do with the resonance of your bones, vibrations your ears pick up from sources other than the air. Your voice sounds truer and deeper to yourself than to anyone else. In the context of this story, perhaps that is true emotionally too.

[5] This section is a flashback to Chapters three and four, when Ash and Dawn are sitting together by the lake.

* * *

He was on a boat again.

It was still light out, the setting sun casting everything in a red tint as it dropped into the endless sea.

He was lying on his back, staring past the reddish ceiling into nothingness. Pikachu was sitting across the narrow cabin, his back against the humming refrigerator, looking down at the ketchup bottle in his stubby arms.

It was just like when he first arrived in Sinnoh – minus Aipom of course.

She had been an unusual little find, Aipom. The troublemaker had always loved playing around with his cap, dancing around with nearly a care in the world. After coming to Sinnoh as a stowaway, she eventually settled down into a (slightly) more mature Ambipom.

But she was no longer with him. Maybe he should stop by to visit.

* * *

There really wasn't anything unusual about the room, but something still felt off. The room was typical: bland, small, and crowded. But there was, somehow, something different about it this time.

Sitting up slowly, he scanned the room once more, his eyes dancing over each object in the typically drab room. Soon, however, a flash of red from just beside him caught his eye. Reaching over to pick up the bright fabric, Ash could feel the memories wash over him. It had only been a few hours now since he had left Sinnoh. Just a few hours since Dawn… since… since she had run off.

_Why was she so scared? It was… it was just a kiss on the cheek._

Just a kiss, yeah right. Sure, he wasn't exactly foreign to them [6], but something seemed different about this one. Ash set her scarf back beside him on the bed.

A few minutes passed in silence as the boat hummed along through the water, continuing the long voyage back to Kanto.

_Speaking of which…_

He sat up in the bed, turning to face his companion. Raising his had up to feel for his hat, he asked, "Where do you think we should go next, Pikachu?" Ash had been thinking about this for a while, ever since Dawn had asked him as they walked to the lake. "I think it might be fun to–"

Ash's hand, reaching behind him as usual, caught a handful of hair. He didn't have his hat anymore.

"Pikaka."

"Oh. Right."

He let his body fall back on the bed again, taking in a deep breath as he settled in. Typically, this would be the time when he'd be excited about embarking on a new journey to a new, unexplored region. He'd done it so many times now he had almost lost track, but again, something seemed different this time. Sure, he was excited to see what he could do in a new environment, but something kept nagging at him.

"Pikaka." The voice was a little louder now, but not quite forceful. More demanding, like Pikachu was a small child throwing a temper tantrum.

"No Pikachu," he said with a sigh. "We just left, we can't go back. I guess we'll have more time to decide later." He closed his eyes, trying to get comfortable, but Pikachu was being adamant again.

The Mouse Pokemon dashed over and snatched up the deceptively light scarf.

"Hey!" Ash shot up, staring at the yellow mouse that now stood just across the room, resting the cloth in a misshapen pile on his head. Pikachu seemed to be trying to change the scarf's shape, but his arms couldn't reach high enough to grab the cloth. Eventually, he gave up and turned back to Ash.

"Pikapi?" He tilted his head to the side, eyes furrowed, as if trying to stare Ash down. Ash laughed a bit, vaguely recognizing the blob as his missing hat.

Pikachu shook the scarf off his head and deftly tied it around his neck, or what passed as such, pulling his hair into a familiar and distinctive shape. "Pikaka?"

Ash chuckled a little. It was a decent impression. Pikachu's ears weren't quite long enough to finish the shape of Dawn's hair, but it was still about as close as any other of Pikachu's impersonations. However, the electric rodent didn't seem too pleased by the reaction.

"ChuuuuuuuuuuuPIKA!" [7]

"Ow!"

It was going to be a long boat ride.

* * *

[6] Three previous kisses: Melody (Movie 1), Latias/Bianca (Movie 5), and Chikorita (Her debut episode)

[7] Yep, that's iron tail again. Pikachu really knows how to get his point across, huh?

**That's it for now. ****Again, sorry it too so long, but this is what I've got so far. I'll try to get the next chapter out soon!**


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